Insertion and Removal

of Intrauterine Devices
BRETT ANDREW JOHNSON, M.D., Methodist Charlton Medical Center, Dallas, Texas

The intrauterine device (IUD) is an effective contraceptive for many women. The copper-releasing IUD can be used for 10 years before replacement and is a good choice for women who cannot,
or choose not to, use hormone-releasing contraceptives. However, some women experience an
increase in menstrual blood loss and dysmenorrhea. The progestin-releasing IUD can be used for
five years. It may reduce menorrhagia and dysmenorrhea, although some women have increased
spotting and bleeding during the first months after insertion. The ideal candidates for IUD use are
parous women in stable, monogamous relationships. Pregnancy, unexplained vaginal bleeding,
and a lifestyle placing the woman at risk for sexually transmitted diseases are contraindications to
IUD use. Insertion of the IUD can take place at any time during the menstrual cycle provided the
woman is not pregnant. Before insertion, a bimanual examination and a sounding of the uterus
are necessary to determine the uterus position and the depth of the uterine cavity. The IUD is
inserted into the uterus according to individual protocols, with the threads cut at a length to allow
the patient to check the devices position. Expulsion may occur with both types of IUDs. (Am Fam
Physician 2005;71:95-102. Copyright 2005 American Academy of Family Physicians.)
See page 27 for levels-ofevidence definitions.

or many years, the intrauterine

device (IUD) has been a contraceptive choice for women. In 1995,
the IUD was used by 11.9 percent
of women of reproductive age worldwide,
but by only 1.5 percent of women in North
America.1 A potential reason for this difference in use is the negative perception of
IUDs created as a result of complications
associated with the Dalkon Shield.
The Dalkon Shield was an IUD introduced in 1970 and recalled in 1975. It was
associated with a significant incidence of
pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) because
its multifilament threads were believed to
be prone to transmitting bacteria into the
uterus and fallopian tubes.

Horizontal arms

Flange
Insertion tube

Vertical arm

Solid rod

Threads

Figure 1. Copper-releasing intrauterine device (ParaGard) and inserter.

Reprinted with permission from FEI Womens Health.

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Today, two IUDs are approved for use in

the United States: a copper-releasing device
(ParaGard) and a hormone-releasing device
(Mirena). Both IUDs have monofilament
threads that minimize the risk for bacteria
transmission.
The copper-releasing IUD (Figure 1) is
a T-shaped polyethylene device with 380
mm2 of exposed surface area of copper on
its arms and stem. The released copper ions
interfere with sperm mobility and incite a
foreign-body reaction that results in a spermicidal environment.2 Barium sulfate has
been added to the polyethylene substrate
to make the device radiopaque. A 3-mm
plastic ball is located at the base of the IUD,
through which the monofilament thread
passes. Once inserted, the IUD can remain
in place for up to 10 years.
The hormone-releasing IUD (Figure 2) is
a radiopaque T-shaped device with 52 mg
of levonorgestrel on its arms and stem. The
progestin is released at a rate of 20 mcg a
day. Levonorgestrel is thought to thicken
cervical mucus, creating a barrier to sperm
penetration through the cervix, and it may
stop ovulation and thin the uterus lining.
Once inserted, the IUD can remain in place
for up to five years.
American Family Physician 95

Data are conf licting on

which mechanism primarily
is responsible for efficacy of
IUDs. The results of a recent
review indicated that pre- and
post-fertilization mechanisms
of action play a role in both
IUDs.3 [Evidence level B, systematic review of studies] The
copper-releasing IUD and the hormonereleasing IUD have been shown in clinical
trials to be 99.2 percent and 98 percent effective, respectively, in preventing pregnancy in
one year of typical use.4,5
The contraceptive effects of the IUD are
reversible after removal. The results of a
recent study suggest that long-term IUD
use (i.e., more than 78 months [6.5 years])
may be associated with an increased risk
for fertility impairment.6 [Evidence level C,
prospective cohort study]

An ideal candidate for an

IUD is a parous woman in
a stable, mutually monogamous relationship, with no
history of pelvic inflammatory disease.

Recommended Patient Profile

and Contraindications
IUDs are for parous women who are in
a stable, mutually monogamous relationship, with no history of PID. Although not
contraindicated in this group, nulliparous
women tend to have higher expulsion and
failure rates, and also offer more challenging
insertion because they have a smaller uterine
cavity.7
Women exposed to sexually transmitted
diseases (STDs) have a greater chance of
developing PID. A history of PID suggests a
risk for reinfection, although a remote history does not totally preclude choosing an

The Author
BRETT ANDREW JOHNSON, M.D., is program director of the Methodist Health
System of Dallas Family Practice Residency at Methodist Charlton Medical
Center, Dallas. He also is an associate professor of family and community medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas. He received
his medical degree from the State University of New York School of Medicine,
Buffalo, and completed a residency in family medicine at Hamot Family Practice
Residency Program, Erie, Pa.
Address correspondence to Brett A. Johnson, M.D., Methodist Charlton Medical
Center, 3500 W. Wheatland Rd., Dallas, TX 75237. Reprints are not available
from the author.

96 American Family Physician

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Arms

Mirena IUD
Scale
Flange

Insertion tube
with plunger inside
Slider

Mark

Handle
Thread cleft

Threads

Figure 2. Hormone-releasing intrauterine

device (Mirena) and inserter.
Reprinted with permission from Berlex, Inc.

IUD. A World Health Organization scientific working group concluded that women
who have been pregnant after an occurrence
of PID and are not currently at risk for infection can be candidates for IUDs.1
The hormone-releasing IUD may benefit
women with anemia, menorrhagia, or dysmenorrhea.8 While there is a greater risk
for spotting or irregular bleeding during
the first three months after insertion of this
device, the risk decreases significantly at 12
months post-insertion.9
Both IUDs are classified as pregnancy category X. Contraindications are summarized
in Table 1.4,5,7,10,11
Precautions
IUDs may be inserted anytime during the
menstrual cycle. Documentation of a negative pregnancy test is prudent. Insertion may
be performed during menstruation to proVolume 71, Number 1

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IUD Insertion

TABLE 1

Contraindications to IUD Insertion

Acute liver disease or liver carcinoma*
Breast carcinoma*
Confirmed or suspected pregnancy
Copper allergy
Genital actinomycosis
History of ectopic pregnancy
History of pelvic inflammatory disease unless
subsequent intrauterine pregnancy occurred
Immunodeficiency disorders
Immunosuppressive therapy
Jaundice*
Known or suspected pelvic malignancy
Multiple sexual partners for patient or her
partner
Postpartum endometritis or septic abortion in
previous three months
Undiagnosed vaginal bleeding
Uterine abnormality
Wilsons disease
IUD = intrauterine device.
*Specific for hormone-releasing IUD (Mirena).
Specific for copper-releasing IUD (ParaGard).
Information from references 4, 5, 7, 10, and 11.

vide additional reassurance that the woman

is not pregnant.
If insertion is planned during the luteal
phase, another nonhormonal contraceptive
should be used until after the next menses. A
pregnancy test can be done, but the patient
should be made aware that a pregnancy test
at this time cannot always rule out early
pregnancy.
An IUD should not be inserted in a
woman with an STD. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
recommends a pelvic examination before
insertion to screen for Chlamydia and
gonorrhea.12 [Evidence level C, consensus/
expert guidelines]
Routine prophylactic antibiotic administration is not necessary.13 [Evidence level
A, high-quality meta-analysis] Studies have
demonstrated that the use of prophylactic
antibiotics at the time of IUD insertion
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provides little, if any, benefit. Doxycycline

(Vibramycin) or erythromycin may be used
for prophylaxis.10,12
According to the American Heart Association, antibiotic prophylaxis in patients at
risk for endocarditis is not necessary before
IUD insertion or removal.14 [Evidence level
C, expert/consensus guidelines]
Patient Preparation
The physician should discuss with the patient
the risks and benefits of the IUD and, if
necessary, other forms of contraception.
The patient should review the manufacturers patient information materials and have
the opportunity to discuss with her physician any concerns. Informed
consent may be obtained after
The position and depth
these steps are completed.
of the uterus should be
Administration of a nonstedetermined before insertroidal anti-inflammatory drug
ing the IUD.
(e.g., 600 to 800 mg of ibuprofen [Motrin]) one hour before
insertion may alleviate discomfort. The physician should instruct the patient about how
to locate the IUD threads. It is necessary for
the woman to locate the threads to verify the
position of the IUD after each menstruation.
The patient should be told to call her physicians office if she is ever unable to locate the
IUD threads.
Insertion
COPPER-RELEASING IUD

The proper equipment (Table 2) should

be assembled before the procedure. Then,
a bimanual examination with nonsterile
gloves should be performed to determine the
position of the uterus.
The arms of the IUD are to be folded into
the insertion tube far enough to retain them.
This can be done before the start of the procedure, working through the sterile package
(Figure 3).
Sterile technique, including sterile gloves,
is necessary during the procedure to minimize the risk of contamination or infection.
The cervix and adjacent vaginal fornices
should be cleansed liberally with an antiseptic solution. Chlorhexidine gluconate
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American Family Physician 97

TABLE 2

Equipment for IUD Insertion

Cervical tenaculum
Cotton balls moistened with antiseptic
solution or povidone-iodine (Betadine)
swabs
Long suture scissors
Ring forceps
Sterile and nonsterile examination gloves
Sterile IUD package with IUD
Sterile tray for the procedure
Sterile vaginal speculum
Uterine sound
IUD = intrauterine device.

Figure 3. The arms of the copper-releasing

intrauterine device are folded into the insertion tube.
Reprinted with permission from FEI Womens Health.

(Hibiclens) may be used if the patient is

allergic to iodine.
The physician should stabilize the cervix during the insertion of the IUD with a
tenaculum. Local anesthesia, such as 5 percent lidocaine gel (Xylocaine) placed in the
cervical canal, or a paracervical block may
be used to minimize discomfort.
A sterile uterine sound should be used to
determine the depth of the uterine cavity.
Contact with the vagina or speculum blades
should be avoided. The uterine sound has
a bulbous tip to help prevent perforation.
An alternative to the uterine sound is an
endometrial aspirator such as those used
for endometrial biopsy sampling. An adequate uterine depth is between 6 and 9 cm
and should be documented in the patients
record. An IUD should not be inserted if the
depth of the uterus is less than 6 cm.
The physician should use sterile gloves to
remove the IUD from the sterile package.
The blue flange should be aligned with the
IUD arms and set at the distance the uterus
was sounded. The white inserter rod should
then be placed into the insertion tube at
the end opposite the arms of the IUD and
approximated against the ball at the base of
the IUD.
The physician should then insert the IUD
into the uterus until the flange is against the
cervical os. The clear inserter tube should
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be pulled back on the insertion rod approximately 2 cm so that the arms can spread to
the T position (Figure 4). The tube should
be advanced slowly to ensure a correct positioning of the IUD (Figure 5). The physician should remove the insertion rod by
holding the insertion tube in place (Figure
6) and then remove the insertion tube and
the tenaculum. Finally, the threads emerging from the cervical os should be cut to a
length of 3 cm. The length of the threads in
the vagina should be noted in the patients
record for further reference.
HORMONE-RELEASING IUD

As with the copper-releasing IUD, the proper

equipment (Table 2) for insertion of the hormone-releasing IUD should be assembled
before the procedure. Then, a bimanual
examination with nonsterile gloves should be
done to determine the position of the uterus.
Sterile technique with sterile gloves is necessary during the procedure itself to minimize
the risk of contamination or infection. The
cervix and adjacent vaginal mucosa should
be cleansed liberally with an antiseptic solution. Chlorhexidine gluconate may be used
if the patient is allergic to iodine.
The physician should stabilize the cervix during the insertion of the IUD with
a tenaculum. Local anesthesia, such as
5 percent lidocaine gel placed in the cervical
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IUD Insertion

Retract

Stationary
Slider

Figure 4. The arms of the copper-releasing

intrauterine device are released.
Reprinted with permission from FEI Womens Health.

Stationary

Figure 5. The insertion tube is advanced for

placement of the copper-releasing intrauterine device.
Reprinted with permission from FEI Womens Health.

Stationary

Retract

Figure 6. The insertion rod of the copperreleasing intrauterine device is withdrawn.

Reprinted with permission from FEI Womens Health.

canal, or a paracervical block may be used to

minimize discomfort.
A sterile uterine sound or an endometrial aspirator should be used to determine
the depth of the uterine cavity. Contact
with the vagina or speculum blades should
be avoided. An adequate uterine depth is
between 6 and 9 cm and should be docuJanuary 1, 2005

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Figure 7. The arms of the hormone-releasing

intrauterine device are aligned to a horizontal
position when removing the device from the
package.
Reprinted with permission from Berlex, Inc.

mented in the patients record. An IUD

should not be inserted if the depth of the
uterus is less than 6 cm.
The physician should open the sterile
IUD package, put on sterile gloves, pick up
the inserter containing the IUD, and carefully release the threads from behind the
slider, allowing them to hang freely. The
slider should be positioned at the top of
the handle nearest the IUD. While looking
at the insertion tube, the physician should
check that the arms of the device are horizontal. If not, they must be aligned using
sterile technique (Figure 7). The physician
should pull on both threads to draw the
IUD into the insertion tube so that the
knobs at the end of the arms cover the open
end of the inserter (Figure 8). The threads
should be fixed tightly in the cleft at the
end of the handle (Figure 9), and the flange
should be set to the depth measured by the
sound (Figure 10).
The physician should insert the IUD
by holding the slider firmly at the top of
the handle and gently placing the inserter
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American Family Physician 99

Sound
measure

1.5 to 2 cm

Figure 8. The hormone-releasing intrauterine

device is drawn into the insertion tube.
Reprinted with permission from Berlex, Inc.

Figure 9. Threads are fixed tightly in the cleft.

Reprinted with permission from Berlex, Inc.

into the cervical canal. The insertion tube

should be advanced into the uterus until
the flange is situated at a distance of about
1.5 to 2 cm from the external cervical os,
allowing ample space for the IUD arms to
open. While holding the inserter steady,
the physician should release the arms of the
IUD by pulling the slider back until the top
of the slider reaches the raised horizontal
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Figure 10. The flange is adjusted to sound

depth.
Reprinted with permission from Berlex, Inc.

line on the handle (Figure 11). The inserter

should be pushed gently into the uterine
cavity until the flange touches the cervix.
The IUD should now be positioned at
the top of the fundus. The physician then
releases the IUD by pulling the slider all the
way down while holding the inserter firmly
in position. The threads will be released automatically (Figure 12). The inserter should be
removed from the uterus. Finally, the threads
emerging from the cervical os should be cut
to a length of 2 to 3 cm. The length of the
threads in the vagina should be noted in the
patients record for further reference.
The manufacturers of both IUDs have
created practice kits that can help physicians
learn to insert an IUD.
Adverse Effects
Following insertion of either device, a follow-up appointment should be planned after
the next menses to address any concerns or
adverse effects, ensure the absence of infection, and check the presence of the strings.
The most common adverse effects of IUDs
are cramping, abnormal uterine bleeding,
and expulsion (Table 3).4,5,7,11,12 Adverse
effects related specifically to the hormonereleasing IUD include amenorrhea, acne,
depression, weight gain, decreased libido,
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IUD Insertion

Mark

Figure 11. The slider is pulled back to reach

the mark.
Reprinted with permission from Berlex, Inc.

Hold inserter in
place and pull
down slider.

perforation, which is more likely to occur

during insertion of the device, ranges from
0.1 to 0.3 percent.11
When the results of the pregnancy test are
positive, an ectopic implantation must be
ruled out. If the strings are visible and the
pregnancy is early, the IUD can be removed
but with a risk of pregnancy loss. If the strings
are not visible, ultrasonography should be
performed to identify the IUD for removal.
Removal
An IUD should be removed at the expiration date, when the patient develops a
contraindication, when adverse effects do
not resolve, or on patient request. Treatment for cervical dysplasia may be different
with the IUD present. Colposcopy may be
performed, but the IUD should be removed
if an excisional procedure is performed.
The IUD is removed by securely grasping the threads at the external os with ring
forceps. Traction should be applied away
from the cervix. If resistance is met, the
removal should be abandoned until it is
determined why the IUD is not moving.
A deeply embedded IUD may have to be
removed hysteroscopically.

TABLE 3

Adverse Effects or Complications

from IUDs
Threads will uncleat
automatically.

Figure 12. The inserter is withdrawn while the

intrauterine device is released.
Reprinted with permission from Berlex, Inc.

and headache. First-year failure rates are

reported to be between 1 and 2 percent.1
If the IUD threads are ever not present, a
pregnancy test should be performed. When
the results are negative, a cytobrush can be
inserted gently into the cervical canal to
locate the threads. If this method is unsuccessful, radiography or ultrasonography
may be used to locate the IUD. Uterine
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Cramping
Displaced threads
Ectopic pregnancy
Embedment or fragmentation of IUD
Expulsion
Infertility
Pelvic infections
Septicemia during pregnancy
Tubo-ovarian damage
Uterine or cervical perforation
Vaginal bleeding, with or without anemia
Vasovagal reaction (on insertion)
IUD = intrauterine device.
Information from references 4, 5, 7, 11, and 12.

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IUD Insertion

The author thanks Kaydance Kerrick for assistance with

the preparation of the manuscript.

7. Nelson AL. The intrauterine contraceptive device.

Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am 2000;27:723-40.

The author indicates that he does not have any conflicts

of interest. Sources of funding: none reported.

8. Ronnerdag M, Odlind V. Health effects of long-term

use of the intrauterine levonorgestrel-releasing system.
A follow-up study over 12 years of continuous use. Acta
Obstet Gynecol Scand 1999;78:716-21.

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1. IUDsan update. Popul Rep B 1995;(6):1-35.
2. Spinatto JA 2d. Mechanism of action of intrauterine
contraceptive devices and its relation to informed consent. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1997;176:503-6.
3. Stanford JB, Mikolajczyk RT. Mechanisms of action of
intrauterine devices: update and estimation of postfertilization effects. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:1699708.
4. Mirena [package insert]. Montville, N.J.: Berlex Laboratories, 2003.

9. Andersson K, Odlind V, Rybo G. Levonorgestrel-releasing and copper-releasing (Nova T) IUDs during five
years of use: a randomized comparative trial. Contraception 1994;49:56-72.
10. Physicians Desk Reference. 58th ed. Montvale, N.J.:
Thomson PDR, 2004.
11.Canavan TP. Appropriate use of the intrauterine device.
Am Fam Physician 1998;58:2077-84,2087-8.
12. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
The intrauterine device. ACOG technical bulletin no.
164. Washington, D.C.: ACOG, 1992.

5. ParaGard [package insert]. Tonawanda, N.Y.: FEI Products, 2003.

13. Grimes DA, Schulz KF. Antibiotic prophylaxis for intrauterine contraceptive device insertion. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2001;(1):CD001327. Update in: Cochrane
Database Syst Rev 2001;(2):CD001327.

6. Doll H, Vessey M, Painter R. Return of fertility in nulliparous women after discontinuation of the intrauterine
device: comparison with women discontinuing other
methods of contraception. BJOG 2001;108:304-14.

14. Dajani AS, Taubert KA, Wilson W, Bolger AF, Bayer A,

Ferrieri P, et al. Prevention of bacterial endocarditis.
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Circulation 1997;96:358-66.

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